1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic music apparatus which can store a plurality of song data for automatic performance before shipment or by loading the song data from an external source, the song data being used for demonstration songs for description of functions, a user's performance practice, or the like, and which can then output the stored song data to an external device or an external storage device, as well as a program for causing a computer to implement a control method for the electronic music apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic music apparatuses have been known which are constructed to store a plurality of song data for automatic performance before shipment or by loading the song data from an external source, the song data being used for demonstration songs, a user's performance practice, or the like and to read desired data of the song data for automatic performance. Some of the electronic music apparatuses are constructed to read the stored song data as required and edit and restore or output them to an external device or an external storage device. These apparatuses can be constructed in various forms such as electronic music instruments, karaoke apparatuses, or personal computers which have performance operators such as keyboards.
Many electronic music apparatuses are provided with external output means such as a MIDI interface or a floppy disk (FD) drive. Furthermore, electronic music apparatuses are being realized which have a network function and can exchange data with other recording media such as HD, CD-R, or flash memory. It is thus technically easy to externally output song data stored inside the apparatus without degrading the reproduction quality.
With recent development of automatic performance function, performance guide function, and the like, several tens of to one hundred or more demonstration songs or automatic performance songs have been preset in the apparatus. Furthermore, relatively new songs have been contained in the apparatus to enhance commercial competitiveness. Some of the demonstration songs employed are of a PD type for which copyright protection is not required. However, the relatively new songs normally involve copyrights.
Conventional electronic music apparatuses cope with copyrights by obtaining the right (recording right) to use copyrighted songs in the apparatuses as demonstration songs or the like, from JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers, and Publishers), the song writers, or the like, then creating the corresponding MIDI song data, and subsequently storing them in a non-volatile built-in memory so that the data can be used on the electronic music apparatuses for automatic performance, key depression guiding operations, or for other purposes. In general, the recording right permits the user to use the copyrighted songs only on the electronic music apparatus for automatic performance, key depression guiding operations, or for other purposes, though it depends on the contents of the contract on the recording right. That is, the copyrighted songs are often inhibited from being externally output or copied unlimitedly.
In addition to the copyright of the original, MIDI song data involve the neighboring right or the like of a person who has created the MIDI data. However, PD song data can be freely externally output or copied by a user of the electronic music apparatus unless the neighboring right or the like is claimed. In particular, if the provider of the electronic music apparatus has the neighboring right or the like to a PD song, he can permit the user to freely use the PD song for the user's performance practice, thereby enhancing the availability. This is rather desirable.
However, if, for example, the conventional electronic music apparatus is provided with demonstration songs or the like stored in a built-in memory, the stored songs are often comprised of PD songs and copyrighted songs mixed together. Accordingly, to protect the copyrighted songs, such arrangements are typically employed that both PD and copyrighted songs are uniformly inhibited from being externally output or copied. Thus, the PD songs cannot be effectively used. On the other hand, there is a demand for ensuring that the copyrighted songs are protected.
Further, some of the conventional electronic music apparatuses can capture by downloading or the like not only PD songs but also copyrighted songs from external devices to store them in a flash memory or the like. With these apparatuses, a problem similar to the above-mentioned problem occurs with the song data captured and stored in the flash memory.
Furthermore, for preset songs stored in the electronic music apparatus before shipment, it may be desired that different songs are employed for respective destinations of the electronic music apparatus. Thus, the conventional electronic music apparatuses have different song data preset for example, in a non-volatile built-in memory for the respective destinations to which the electronic music apparatuses are shipped.
However, the number of types of built-in preset memory increases with the number of destinations. This raises a problem that the apparatus has a complicated construction, and increased production and inventory management costs.